Big Sky mourns former substitute's death

Sadness swept over Big Sky High School this week when word that
Mike Rose, a former teacher's aide and substitute teacher, died
Monday.

Rose was part of a research expedition that was returning from
Isla Cabeza de Caballo, a remote island off the U.S.-Mexico border,
after wrapping up a day of ongoing scorpion and spider studies.
According to California news reports, unexpected winds of 30 mph
created 6-foot waves that capsized the 22-foot inflatable boat he
was riding in. Rose and four other passengers drowned in the
accident.

One of the survivors said Rose gave his life helping to save
others on the expedition.

On Friday, several of Rose's former students and co-workers at
Big Sky gathered to remember him and share stories about how he
touched their lives.

He was to them a gifted teacher, mentor and exceptional
person.

"He was young and had no experience working with special-needs
students, but after interviewing him, I remember saying: 'I think
we have a good one,' " said WyAnn Northrop, a special education
teacher at Big Sky. "We hired Mike immediately because he made this
statement in his interview: 'Everybody deserves to be treated with
dignity and respect,' " said Sally Ebel, department chairperson of
Big Sky's special services.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Rose worked at Big Sky from
September 1996 until June 1998. He came to Missoula with his wife,
Susan, who was pursuing her doctorate at the University of
Montana.

He was hired to work with a wide range of special needs students
- from children with autism to the emotionally disturbed, Ebel
said. And because of his background in science and his knack for
making difficult concepts easy to understand, Rose taught science
and math to mainstream students.

"He had a great personality," said Ian Opheim, a junior at Big
Sky. "A lot of teachers can get kind of edgy and get a little
cranky if you don't get something. I realized he was special when I
was having problems with my math - it wasn't clicking. He didn't
get angry. We spent the whole period on one math problem, and after
that it was easy."

For junior Krista Zachariasen, Rose helped to ease her anxiety
when she made the transition from middle school to high school.

"I had a really hard time being a newcomer - not knowing anybody
here," she said. "He made it easier. He was easy to talk to."

Choking back tears, junior Yong Moua said he will never forget
Rose's kindness.

"He was really a wonderful guy," he said. "He helped me with my
math and he was always really friendly. He was different from other
teachers because he seemed to really care about you."

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All of the students said they were touched by Rose's ability to
get everyone excited about science.

"He was using college-level research techniques, and these kids
were getting it," said Susan Rushe, a Big Sky resource teacher. "He
had a way of presenting material in a way they could understand. …
It was awesome to watch him work."

Perhaps Rose's most remarkable legacy is the gift of
joke-telling he gave to an autistic student, Ebel said.

"He worked with this student every day, and the student never
got the joke," she said. "Mike would explain it over and over. And
then the student began to understand it. Then the student began to
bring a joke to Mike every day. Mike worked with him on his affect
and how to present a joke."

"It's phenomenal, the changes in this young man," Rushe said.
Because of Rose's one-on-one tutoring, the student now tells jokes.
"He's become more confident to speak up in class and to be part of
the group in general."

Rose earned his master's degree in biology from Northern Arizona
University, where he also received the Outstanding Graduate
Teaching Assistant award.

He was a technician and postgraduate researcher in the
University of California-Davis Department of Environmental Science
and Policy at the time of his death.

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